Wales weaves its old magic on this quick Autumn visit

Wales weaves its old magic on this quick Autumn visit

The low sun reminding me how  Summer was fading  – how did Life get in the way of Climbing ?  Ancient bones and lack of training aside  , I needed to scratch that Climbing Itch . Feed the Rat . Thankfully Harry McGee and my niece were free for a few days in Wales.  IMC reciprocal rights to the Climbers Club hut in Llanberis means you  look out in the morning at Cenotaph Corner and all is good in the world.

 

1 Idwal Slab Tennis Shoes above crux
Harry cruising on Tennis Shoes Idwal Slabs

Tennis Shoes HS 4b*** HS to start : I  always wanted to climb on Idwal slabs – today we had the hills to ourselves :  Knobbly chickenheads that would not  be out of place  in Yosemite  and a fine mountain situation  with the crux at the top .

2 Harry Magee mantling the crux move on The Cracks Dinas Mot
Harry Mantles the crux on The Cracks Dinas Mot

 

The Cracks , a multipitch  HS  *** on Dinas Mot in  Llanberis Pass next up : Harry did the 5a mantle at the top effortlessly ; Lovely crack and slab climbing ;  We finished the day by crossing over to Flying Buttress  – a multipitch romp on Dinas Cromlech just around from Cemetery Gates  – all the exposure with no  hardship.

Weather warning on high brought us to the ever reliable Tremadog : Eric was in his café and telling tales of Base Jumping after climbing the Eiger… so gripped was the journalist in Harry that I had to pull him away from a fellow adventurer with many more yarns to tell. Creagh Dhu  wall ***  has got to be one of  the most enjoyable hard severes I have done. It basked in sunshine and had a really fun traverse at the start of second pitch. Both of us got equally interesting pitches. Valerie’s Rib  to follow was  a bit of a letdown – only because Creagh Dhu Wall was outstanding .

Creagh Dhu Wall Tremadog

 

Harry needed some real exercise the next day so went off mountain running Crib Goch and then joined up with a local climber for Nea , a lovely VS in the Llanberis  pass for a great finish to his holiday.

I join  my niece Anne Marie; 10 years before we were washed off  Grooved Arete *** on one of Gerry’s Meets . Today we had Tryfan to ourselves and the sunshine . The nine pitches flew in – The Knights Move pitch is very memorable and even the polish didn’t seem so bad on the sunshine. This climb alone would make  the trip worthwhile .

 

4 Anne Marie on Grooved Arete Tryfan
Anne Marie on  Grooved Arete Tryfan

It’s Wales so we had to have some rain  .. and spent it on a slog up Snowdon. It was good to get a backpack off but misty tops meant no views. Definitely  a prompt to go back to Tremadog.   The Upper Tier on Pant Ifan was worth the uphill slog as it had some fine easy grade ( up to VS ) single pitch climbs to enjoy.

Upper Tier Pant Ifan Tremadog

Merlin Crag in the afternoon was gave more traditional “in the trees” multipitch  climbing with the toot tooting steam  train in the distance.

6 Anne Marie climbs in leafy  Merlin Crag
Leafy Oberon Merlin Crag Tremadog

 

A quick dash to Holyhead mountain while waiting for the ferry .  7 New Boots and Panties Holyhead Mountain

New Boots and Panties provide sticky climbing in the sunshine on Holyhead Mountain

Gerry Moss’s trip to Snowdonia is a not an option – its a must for new members :  Great crack , brilliant advice from Gerry and a wide range of three star routes at all levels – with a meal in Pete’s Eats to look forward to at Days End … Life doesn’t offer any better